Taylor Swift's Creative Renaissance 💅 is an OSCAR impending?

In this video, the Taylor Swiftologist, a journalist and avid Taylor Swift fan, reflects on their recent trip to India and segues into a discussion about Taylor Swift's presence at the Toronto International Film Festival. They ponder over the promotional strategy for Swift's upcoming album "Midnights" and compare it to previous album rollouts. The host expresses skepticism regarding fan theories and predicts a significant promotional moment for "Midnights." They also critique Swift's short film for "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" and its classification as a short film rather than an extended music video. The focus shifts to Swift's exploration of visual storytelling and her growth in directing her own music videos, leading to the creation of the "All Too Well" short film. The host emphasizes Swift's evolution as an artist, her creative control, and the collaboration with other creatives in the industry. They also touch on Swift's re-recording of her old albums and the symbolism behind elements like the red scarf in her short film. The video concludes with the Taylor Swiftologist's anticipation for Swift's future creative endeavors, particularly in filmmaking.

• Taylor Swiftologist introduces themselves as a journalist and a dedicated Taylor Swift fan.
• They create weekly videos analyzing Taylor Swift's public life.
• They are branching out into other pop culture content soon.

"hi 50s welcome back to my channel i am the taylor swiftologist and if you're new here i make weekly thoughtful videos about taylor swift i'm a journalist by trade and swifty by choice."

The quote introduces the speaker as a content creator focused on Taylor Swift, indicating their professional background and personal interest in the subject.

• Taylor Swiftologist recently attended a college friend's wedding in India.
• They visited Delhi, Agra, and Udaipur, describing the trip as a favorite vacation.
• They shared their experience on Instagram.

"i've been away for a week i was in india at one of my college friends weddings it was an insane experience to say at least you can head to my instagram to check out what i got up to while i was there for everybody asking in my community tab i went to delhi agra and udaipur."

This quote provides context for the speaker's recent absence and their personal connection to India, highlighting the significance of the trip.

• Taylor Swiftologist plans to react to Taylor Swift's talk at the Toronto International Film Festival.
• They discuss the promotional circuit for Swift's album "Midnights" and speculate on the rollout strategy.
• They express skepticism about fan theories and prefer to form their own conclusions.

"today's video is going to be me reacting to taylor's kind of talk her lecture if you will at the toronto international film festival now she is on the promo circuit so the last video you saw from me i was reacting to the midnight's announcement."

The quote sets the stage for the video's focus, which is a reaction to Taylor Swift's recent appearance and discussion at a film festival.

• Taylor Swiftologist appreciates Swift's public appearances and discussions about her craft.
• They question Swift's filmmaking as her primary craft but are open to her growth in this area.
• They critique the "All Too Well" short film, calling it more of an extended music video due to its improvised dialogue and structure.

"i love it when she talks about her craft although i'm not convinced that filmmaking is her craft. but you never know."

The speaker values Taylor Swift's discussions about her creative process and expresses a desire for more insight into Swift's involvement in filmmaking.

• Taylor Swiftologist discusses Swift's approach to creating distinct visual and sonic identities for each album.
• They touch on the pressures female artists face in crafting these eras, referencing Swift's song "The Man."
• They mention Swift's early involvement in music video concepts and her increasing creative responsibility over time.

"from a very early point in my career wanted to establish each album as its own era of sorts and the crowd goes wild because we love an era."

The quote reflects Taylor Swift's intention to create unique and memorable identities for each of her album releases, which resonates with her audience.

• Taylor Swiftologist notes Swift's film influences during different musical phases.
• They mention Swift's affinity for John Hughes movies during the creation of the album "1989."
• They discuss Swift's viewing habits during the pandemic, including Guillermo del Toro's films and "Rear Window," which influenced her albums "Folklore" and "Evermore."

"what is your path through movies ben what films did you love growing up and what what images from movies still stay with you as a not movies not actress."

The quote prompts a reflection on the films that have influenced Taylor Swift's creative output, suggesting a deep connection between her musical work and cinematic inspirations.

• Taylor Swiftologist appreciates Swift's storytelling through music and visuals.
• They analyze Swift's early career and her evolving role in music video production.
• They express a desire for Swift to be more hands-on to avoid overlaps and inconsistencies in her visual discography.

"the more responsibility i took on. creatively the happier. i was so here we are that is so interesting to me."

The quote signifies Taylor Swift's satisfaction with taking on more creative control in her projects, highlighting the importance of artist involvement in their work.

• Taylor Swiftologist is intrigued by the relationship between Swift's media consumption and her creative output.
• They note the influence of specific films on Swift's albums, such as the impact of 70s romantic films on "Evermore."
• They discuss Swift's descriptions of relationships in her music, reflecting her skill as a writer.

"this would happen throughout my career for different things. the pandemic hit. and i i was watching a lot of. sorry."

This quote illustrates how external influences, like films watched during different periods, play a role in shaping Taylor Swift's creative work.

• Taylor Swiftologist critiques the "All Too Well" short film's storytelling and visual adaptation.
• They discuss the importance of a music video enhancing the song's narrative.
• They acknowledge Swift's references to modern films like "Marriage Story" and "The Souvenir" but question the execution of her short film.

"i mean when we say short film 10 minutes is like really too short i think to get like a full story together and the story is told so well through song that it's kind of like pointless to adapt it visually unless you're adding something extra to it."

The quote expresses the speaker's perspective on the challenges and potential redundancy of adapting a song with a strong narrative into a short film format.

• Taylor Swiftologist appreciates Cassavetes for allowing despair and human emotion to play out in his films.
• Cassavetes' films often feature loose ends and a sense of being in the moment during intense emotional scenes.
• Swiftologist draws a parallel between Cassavetes' style and the crafted fight scene in the discussed work, noting the music stops and the relationship disintegrates and then partially mends.

"yes also big heartbreak big emotion. yeah. and i just think um being i don't know i just really love how he allows despair and human emotion to just play out it just is allowed to breathe and play itself out um you see the loose ends."

This quote highlights the Swiftologist's appreciation for Cassavetes' approach to filmmaking, particularly how he captures raw emotion and leaves narratives unresolved, mirroring real life.

• The fight scene is crafted to feel real and intense, reminiscent of 70s movies.
• The decision to focus on a fight scene was purposeful to showcase the characters' relationship dynamics.
• The scene was largely unscripted, with actors bringing their own emotional intelligence to the performance.

"and i think how do you fight taylor i went into it um in terms of katy perry not fair not having scripted out a few different scenes and knowing that i wanted to show one of them in depth and at length and when it came time to shoot you know we filmed them breaking up we filmed them falling in love some of the dialogue with that."

This quote explains the process behind choosing which scenes to delve into, indicating a desire to explore the characters' relationship through a detailed fight scene rather than multiple scripted scenarios.

• Swiftologist felt a strong emotional connection to the actors and believed they did justice to the characters.
• Sadie Sink's performance was praised for capturing a youthful, innocent yet knowing energy.
• Dylan O'Brien's performance was critiqued for lacking the gravity of the situation and not appearing old enough.

"i think that it's interesting that she felt that she was so emotionally connected to these actors and that she felt they were really doing it. justice."

The quote reflects on the Swiftologist's view that the emotional connection between the director and actors contributed to a performance that felt true to the characters and story.

• Taylor Swift's songwriting excellence is highlighted, with an emphasis on the complexity of real-life scenarios and emotions.
• Swift's consistent storytelling approach is commended, noting her ability to convey non-linear events and emotions in her work.
• The relationship between the characters is described as a kaleidoscope of memories, echoing Swift's earlier work.

"i think again i'd like to highlight that this is the brilliance and like the excellence of her songwriting and something that i think like the swifty sometimes miss it goes over their head."

This quote praises Swift's songwriting skills and her ability to capture the intricacies of real-life situations in her music, suggesting that some fans may not fully grasp the depth of her storytelling.

• The short film conveys a powerful moment where one character feels unseen and misunderstood by their partner.
• The interviewee comments on Taylor Swift's active listening skills, contributing to her ability to engage and connect with her audience.
• The dynamic of age and maturity is explored, with Swift's character caught between girlhood and adulthood.

"for me when i was watching i've seen this short film many times now. and um what i really got from it is that she does not feel seen."

The quote discusses the central theme of the short film, where a character struggles with feeling invisible and undervalued, particularly in the context of a relationship.

• Taylor Swift's increasing creative input into her music videos is discussed.
• The evolution from being on camera to co-directing and then fully directing music videos is described.
• The collaborative process with directors like Joseph Kahn and the learning experience from being on set are highlighted.

"and you do want to go back so because before you directed this film you began to have increasing um visual input into uh the making of your music videos getting into the creativity of the music videos as opposed to just being on camera."

This quote summarizes Swift's progression from a passive to an active role in the visual aspects of her music videos, culminating in her directing her own work.

• The discussion returns to the theme of the age gap and its impact on the characters' relationship.
• The interviewee speculates on why Swift is fixated on the age gap and how it relates to contemporary conversations.
• The unique challenges of Swift's own experience at that age, with her fame and wealth, are contrasted with typical young adult experiences.

"and it seems to have hit her in a wounded spot that maybe has not healed quite totally yet that period of your life like between 20 and 22."

The quote reflects on the personal significance of the age gap theme for Swift and how it may relate to unresolved feelings from her own past.

• Swift's journey to directing is described as a series of baby steps, learning from each music video experience.
• The collaborative relationship with Joseph Kahn and the transition to co-directing are detailed.
• The first solo-directed music video, "The Man," is mentioned as a significant learning experience.

"yeah it was it was a baby set baby steps process it wasn't it wasn't like i woke up one day. and i was like you know what i want to do direct like just that was never something that i was programmed to say to myself because i didn't go to film school."

This quote outlines Swift's gradual approach to taking on the role of director, emphasizing that it was not an overnight decision but rather a natural progression from her experiences on set.

• Taylor Swift decided to make the short film for "All Too Well."
• This decision was based on her readiness to take on more creative endeavors.
• The short film's concept was inspired by the "Bad Blood" music video, with a futuristic action movie theme.

"I decided to make the short film for all too well and. really blood video. it's all like futuristic action movie."

This quote explains the inspiration behind the "All Too Well" short film, drawing a parallel with the futuristic action concept from the "Bad Blood" music video.

• Taylor Swift's creative process is highly collaborative.
• She makes decisions based on her vision for the project's feel, look, and texture.
• Swift trusts her collaborators, such as her director of photography (DP), Reena Yang.
• She involves her team early in the process, sharing mood boards and references.

"It's such a beautifully collaborative process you make decisions you know based on your your idea as to how you want it to feel how you want it to look."

The quote highlights the importance of collaboration in Taylor Swift's creative process, emphasizing the thoughtful decisions made to achieve a specific artistic vision.

• Taylor Swift is open to working with a diverse range of people who can contribute to her projects.
• She maintains a small but diverse circle of co-writers and works with producers who have varied styles.
• Swift is credited for being willing to take notes from different sources and for giving credit to all contributors.

"I think something important here to note is like how collaborative Taylor is."

This quote underscores Taylor Swift's collaborative nature and openness to input from a wide array of contributors in her creative endeavors.

• Taylor Swift envisioned the character "Her" to reflect the actor's personality.
• The setting for the character's apartment was chosen based on this vision.
• The character played by Jake Gyllenhaal was described with attributes such as clean, cool, mature, sophisticated, elegant, and sexy.

"Sadie plays a character named her I wanted her apartment a character named her to beat her I wanted it to look like who she is."

The quote explains the intention behind the character's setting in the short film, aiming to have the environment match the character's personality.

• Taylor Swift's casting choices for Dylan O'Brien and Sadie Sink were instinctual.
• She had never seen them in similar roles but believed in their capabilities based on their previous work.
• Swift wrote the character with Sadie Sink in mind and did not have a backup plan if she declined.
• She approached the casting process with enthusiasm and without trying to be "cool."

"It was a very instinctual decision based on having watched their performances."

This quote reflects Taylor Swift's instinct-driven casting process, where she trusted her gut feeling based on the actors' past performances.

• Taylor Swift's journey includes evolving from contributing to videos to directing her own short films.
• This evolution coincides with her taking back control of her music.
• She began her career on an indie label and aspired to own her master recordings.
• After her music was sold to an outside party, she decided to re-record her albums.

"The evolution of a snake perhaps collaborate sir videos to making your own short films in this one particularly recently it's coincided with you taking back control of your music."

The quote draws a connection between Taylor Swift's creative evolution in visual media and her efforts to regain control over her music catalog.

• Taylor Swift treats re-recordings as major releases, redoing photo shoots and creating new music videos.
• She includes previously unreleased "vault tracks" in the re-recordings.
• The re-recording process has been supported by fans, making it possible.
• The song "All Too Well" has a special significance, as it was a fan favorite but not initially recognized as a potential single by industry professionals.

"So it's really been an amazing opportunity to revisit my old music make exact copies of the old music and what I also do now is I like there were a lot of songs that I wrote that didn't end up on the album so we call those songs from the vault tracks."

This quote explains the process and purpose behind re-recording old music and releasing previously unheard "vault tracks," highlighting the importance of fan support in this endeavor.

• Taylor Swift sees a connection between creating her own images and owning her music, though it wasn't a conscious decision.
• She believes in getting braver with time and has been encouraged to expand creatively by her supporters.
• Swift has faced internal resistance but has mostly been able to pursue her creative ideas.

"I think it's very connected and not in a way that was not in a way that was conscious."

The quote suggests a subconscious link between Taylor Swift's visual creative work and her pursuit of music ownership, reflecting personal growth and the support she has received in her creative journey.

• Taylor Swift has had significant creative control throughout her career, with nearly full say in her public image and work.
• This control contributes to her confidence and bravery in making bold creative decisions.
• Her experience of being encouraged and supported is unique among female pop stars, who often lack such freedom in the music industry.

"It comes to having creative control like we can see pretty consistently throughout her career that she has had the chance to have if not final say almost 99.9 say in whatever is kind of coming through and going out of her as a public figure."

The quote emphasizes Taylor Swift's near-complete creative control throughout her career, highlighting its rarity and importance in her empowerment as an artist.

• Nora Ephron is cited as a major influence and parallel for Taylor Swift, especially if Swift pursues more work in film.
• Ephron's work in romantic comedies and the themes she explored resonate with Swift's own creative output.

"You think about people like Nora Ephron who you know there's people who paved the path and then there's like Nora Ephron like in the forest with a machete where the path will be paved."

This quote illustrates Nora Ephron as a trailblazer in the film industry, someone who carved out new opportunities and paths for future generations, similar to how Taylor Swift views her own role and aspirations.

• Taylor Swift draws inspiration from several female directors, including Nora Ephron, Chloe Zhao, Greta Gerwig, and Lena Dunham.
• Despite mixed reactions, Swift acknowledges Dunham's talent and impact on her, highlighting the importance of supportive relationships in creative industries.

"Oh my god you guys are so pathetic honestly like Lena Dunham is an incredibly talented writer and director like say what you want about her she seems to have this like she seems to have the absolute stench of like her cancellation following her everywhere."

The quote defends Lena Dunham's abilities as a writer and director, suggesting that public perception should not overshadow her talent and influence, which Taylor Swift acknowledges.

• Taylor Swift discusses her intentional use of lighting and color in her short film "All Too Well" to convey emotional states and character development.
• The symbolism of the red scarf in the film is a metaphor linked to the theme of the album "Red."

"I really wanted this short film to feel like autumn um and not the entire time you're watching it but in your memory."

The quote explains Swift's goal to create a specific atmospheric memory through visual elements in her short film, using color and lighting to evoke the feeling of autumn and the associated emotions.

• Swift expresses a desire to further evolve her career, potentially moving into feature film directing.
• She acknowledges her privilege in being able to finance her creative projects and shows respect for filmmakers who struggle to secure funding.

"I mean I'd love to keep taking baby steps forward. And I think that I'm at a place now where like the next baby step is like not a baby step it would be committing to making a film."

This quote conveys Swift's ambition to progress in her career, considering a significant move into film directing, which she sees as a natural extension of her storytelling abilities.

• Taylor Swift has been prolific in her creative output over the past years, constantly seeking new challenges and collaborations.
• She values the support of her audience and aims to continue exploring different creative avenues, including filmmaking.

"For the last like five or six years I've just been like I just love making stuff. I just want to never do anything but make stuff."

The quote reflects Swift's passion for creation and her dedication to her art, expressing a desire to continually produce new work and explore different forms of storytelling.

• Swift hints at a heavily visual and stylized approach to upcoming projects, including her album "Midnights."
• The conversation suggests anticipation for the creative direction Swift will take next, with an expectation for innovation and a unique filmmaker's touch.

"I think we can definitely expect a heavy visual element to this. And I think it's going to be very stylized and it's going to have a very filmmaker. e feel to whatever visuals that we get."

This quote predicts a strong visual component in Taylor Swift's future work, suggesting that her projects will have a distinctive style reflective of her growing interest in film and visual storytelling.